This invention pertains to the art of bearings and more particularly to cylindrical roller type bearings.
The invention is particularly applicable to means for guiding the rollers or restraining roller skewing in such bearings and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the invention may be adapted to use in other applications and environments.
Heretofore, during some applications for high speed cylindrical roller bearings, the individual rollers have demonstrated an alarming tendency to skew. That is, the rollers become slightly misaligned or skewed from a desired position wherein the centerlines of the rollers do not remain parallel to the centerline of the controlling race. That is, one end of the roller moves ahead or behind the other end, as the roller travels in its orbital path.
In some bearing designs, such skew motion is limited by providing for a contacting relationship between the opposed relatively flat ends of the rollers and the pair of spaced apart rigid flanges or side walls associated with the bearing race defining means. To prevent binding between these side flanges and the rollers during bearing use, some axial roller clearance is provided. That is, the lateral distance between the side flanges is slightly greater than the length of the rollers. Although this axial clearance is held to a minimum, thermal design considerations and manufacturing tolerances can cause the maximum value of this clearance to be or become appreciable. As a result, any of the rollers having skewing tendencies will be permitted to turn considerably prior to the time the roller opposite corners contact the side flanges. Roller skewing is not conducive to obtaining an optimum roller bearing relationship between the inner and outer bearing race defining means. Wear has been demonstrated to occur on the roller ends and race side flanges, induced by skewing.
Accordingly, it has been considered desirable to develop an anti-skewing system for roller bearing rollers and/or a roller bearing construction which includes an anti-skewing system. The subject invention is considered to meet these needs and provide an arrangement which is simple in design, economical to manufacture and utilize, versatile for accommodating use in different types of roller bearing designs and readily adapted to use in many varied applications and/or environments.